Hunter takes down massive bear — and it beat Maryland state record by nearly 30 pounds
An enormous black bear broke a state record for heaviest harvested bear on the first day of hunting season, Maryland wildlife officials said.
A Garrett County woman hunted down a 643-pound male black bear, making it the largest bear on record to be killed during the state’s hunting season, according to an Oct. 25 Facebook post from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The previous state record for the largest harvested bear was a 615-pound male, Maryland Department of Natural Resources game mammal section leader Jonathan Trudeau told McClatchy News in an email. A bear the size of the one caught in Garrett County this year is “very uncommon,” Trudeau said, and it would be “extremely unlikely” that another bear heavier than 643 pounds would be harvested in 2023.
Black bears’ weight can range anywhere between 132 to 661 pounds, according to Britannica, and the largest ever in North America weighed 902 pounds.
Black bear harvesting season in Maryland is typically less than a week. The 2023 season is between Oct. 23-28, according to the department’s website.
Hunters can harvest bears in teams, which they then report to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, according to its website.
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The total of hunters who applied for the harvest has fluctuated over the past five years, ranging between 4,716 applicants to 5,716 applicants. The number of people who are actually awarded the permit for hunting season is much less — between 800 and 950 permits were granted between 2018 and 2022.
About 80% to 90% of hunters holding permits participate in the black bear hunt, with an average party size being two people, Trudeau said.
That roughly totals about 850 hunting parties during black bear season, Trudeau said.
For bear hunting, Trudeau said he recommends hunters “stay in the woods and find an active food source.” Trees such as hickory and white oak produce the “most sought-after hard mast,” which is a food source for bears, Trudeau said.
“Bears will travel greater distances to take advantage of these food sources but the only way to find them is to put some miles on your boots and stay in the woods,” Trudeau said. “You never know when a bear may pass through the area.”
This story was originally published October 27, 2023 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Hunter takes down massive bear — and it beat Maryland state record by nearly 30 pounds."
